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Wednesday, 30 July 2014

UK manufacturer Another Country will launch its first lighting collection during Maison & Objet in Paris this September. Designed by Dana Cannam, the First Light pieces are made of brass and ceramics and will be available in three versions (pendant, table and floor) and three colours (black, natural and terracotta).

Homebuildlife subscribers will be able to see our full coverage of Maison & Objet in September.

Waterford is paying tribute to the Mad Men television series, which will air its final episodes in the spring of 2015. The brand's collection of barware accessories celebrates the indulgently daring style of the late 1950s and early 1960s, when conformist looks gave way to bolder attitudes and fashion. Deep cut patterns and large gold or platinum bands decorate the fine crystal, making for luxurious yet timeless pieces.

Tuesday, 29 July 2014

Finnish interiors brand Marimekko redecorated Hong Kong's Common Ground tea show as a Finland-themed pop-up cafe to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Unikko print. The combination of branding and hospitality created a surprising experience that generated word-of-mouth.

Homebuildlife subscribers can see our full report on creative pop-up concepts in Asia here.

Single-letter and initial prints, handwritten script designs, calligraphic letters as well as bold graphic fonts and statement slogans are increasingly applied to a variety of home interiors. From cushions, rugs and bedding to wallpaper, ceramics and lighting, modern or classical typographies are used as the basis for exciting prints and patterns.

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Parisian design store Maison M is launching a collection of colourful wallpapers by French interiors stylist Veronique Villaret. Each design is the blown up version of a simple scribble made with crayons. Spontaneous childlike squiggles are thus turned into contemporary wall art, to be hung as a one-off statement width of paper, or to cover entire walls with rainbow-like colours.

For his graduation project, Konstfack Industrial Design student Arash Eskafi imagined a world in which 'smart' products have taken on human-like behaviours and tendencies: carpets wiggle when walked on and fruit bowls tilt towards their owner to offer them a snack when they get home.

Lifelike reactions are increasingly being built into technology and homewares. For more examples, Homebuildlife subscribers can see our graduate show trend report, Appliances & Electronics.

Tuesday, 22 July 2014

Interiors e-tailer Made.com has launched its very own social network, Unboxed. The online community enables users to connect with other Made.com customers in their area, and take a virtual house tour to see how they've styled the products purchased from the website.

Monday, 21 July 2014

Come & Draw table by Tian Tiang

Chinese, Stockholm-based designer Tian Tiang creates versatile furniture for children. Her main motivation is to nurture their creativity and stimulate their imagination. She thus came up with two types of drawing tables, the Sketch coffee table and the Come & Draw table. Each comprises a stack of colourful sheets of paper, encouraging spontaneous games and wild brainstorming.

Seletti’s summer 2014 advertising campaign is focused on a special way of outdoor life, conceived to present the brand's new Festival collection using a selection of traditional products with a contemporary twist.

Friday, 18 July 2014

For his graduation project, Royal College of Art student Marcin Rusak created an installation exploring flowers, including a vase made of petals and a series of scents comparing the strong smell of flowers from a garden to the weaker scents of those sold at a florist or a supermarket.

Friday, 11 July 2014

Coffee brand Carte Noir has released a series of colour-coded videos documenting the making process of different desserts. Called Vert, Jaune and Rouge, the videos tie into growing consumer interest in 'going backstage', as explored in our trend report, Storytellers.

Gifting company Patchwork Present applies the idea of crowdfunding to buying gifts. Users create a goal that their friends and family can all contribute money to, so that instead of getting lots of little presents, they can save up for the one big thing they really want.

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Launching in September, the new collection by French textile brand La Cerise sur le Gateau is a fresh take on the minimal look. Blue grids seem traced with a pen directly onto the surface of a linen and cotton mix. The simple design is lifted by an embroidered line of vivid colour or gold thread.

Thursday, 3 July 2014

During Milan Design Week 2013, Mathias Kiss presented his Igloo sofa, covered in a blue marbled fabric. The designer had found inspiration for it in his background as a Compagnon de France, when he restored the marbles of ancient monuments.

The fabric was created through a collaboration with French textile company Pierre Frey, which has now adapted it to make it available to the general public as part of its 2014 collection. Named Portor, from the original black marble with golden veins, the fabric is available in four sophisticated yet modern colourways.

One of the stand-out trends from Las Vegas' Licensing Expo this month was that of character coffee licenses - including Grumpy Cat's 'Grumpaccino', Popeye the Sailor's 'Popeye Energy' coffee, and Krispy Kreme's ground coffee.

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

One of our top picks for exhibitors at this year's Summer Fancy Food Show is California-based Shanley Farms. With three products on display - Citriburst Finger Limes, Morro Bay Avocados and Sierra Sweet Kiwis - the brand wowed visitors with its high quality and innovation.